NASA narrows design for rocket to launch samples off of Mars

[MushuTheGreatStoneDragon]

Saw this article yesterday, made me want to make a scale version once they announce the final design.

https://spaceflightnow.com/2020/04/20/nasa-narrows-design-for-rocket-to-launch-samples-off-of-mars/

One thing I thought was cool was that NASA first thought about using hybrid motors as opposed to solid motors due to the temperature cycling that the rocket would have to endure. Aka even NASA knows it not a good idea to store your motors outside (*ehem* looking at you Estes BP E motors).

 

[PXR5]

I will be nice to actually have samples from Mars

 

[CoyoteNumber2]

https://www.rocketryforum.com/threads/mars-solid-rocket.159021/

 

[aerostadt]

Yes, I saw this yesterday, too. It is an interesting article showing a two-stage solid rocket to get off the surface of Mars to a nearby orbiting vehicle. At first one might think having solid propellants in long-term "space" storage might be bad, but it has been done before with solid propellants being in earth orbit for a long time.

 

[Onebadhawk]

Yes,,
One with a nice fossil in it, lol..

Teddy

( of an animal, not a plant )..

 

[PXR5]

Yes,,
One with a nice fossil in it, lol..

Teddy

( of an animal, not a plant )..

Or a live animal LOL

 

[MClark]

Or a live animal LOL

Or Andromeda.

 

[Rob702Martinez]

The round propellant grain is neat. Where would the sample go? Retrevial would be interesting.

 

[o1d_dude]

Great...

Now in addition to the WuFlu, we can play around with the “Martian Death Flu” for real.

 

[Greg Furtman]